His Grace is Sufficient

Today I’m heading off my usual home décor,, DIY path… Today is our youngest daughter’s birthday… my baby turns 8! Every year on her birthday I love to share her miracle.

She has such a servant’s heart… she LOVES helping others… she is super witty and her humor has made us laugh so hard we’ve cried. We are so blessed to have her.

While pregnant with her we went for our scheduled 20 week ultrasound and were completely shocked to discover she had double clubbed feet. Our oldest was born with a right clubfoot (this is where the foot is turned in sharply and the person seems to be walking on their ankle). We have no family history of clubfeet and when I became pregnant with our 2nd kiddo (“Blonde”) we did some genetic testing in which they thought it was just a fluke since there was no sign as to why it occurred.

So when we were pregnant with baby #3 I honestly hadn’t really thought about it. Blonde was born with 2 normal feet… the genetic experts thought all was good.

So when I was lying on the table as the ultrasound tech showed us the close-up of her feet I knew it was true. I remembered the x-ray pics of my son… the toes turned in and the heel raised. I was overwhelmed with emotions… How could we go through this again?

If you were see my son today, you would never know of the trauma he went through the first 18 months of his life… he doesn’t even remember. They never noticed his clubfoot during the 20 week ultrasound, so we were in compete shock when he was born. As a first-time mom I was overwhelmed just trying to figure out the “Mom” job and now I was needing to figure out how we were going to help my son with his birth defect.

Thankfully we were referred to the best pediatric orthopedic specialist in our area. At 2 weeks old he had his first full leg cast put on. Each week we’d come back as they would cut it off (which he’d scream for) and the Dr. would gently manipulate his tiny foot a little in the correct direction and recast. The first 3 days after his cast were put on were miserable as his foot was aching from the new position. This continued till he was almost 6 months old… when he went to a brace. At 9 months old his Dr. told us that the cast and brace had manipulated his foot to the correct position, but his heel still had not dropped. At 10 months old he had surgery where they made snips in his Achilles tendon to lengthen it. Surgery was followed by casts for the next 2 months and then a brace for another 3 months… it was a long first couple years of life.

So when we heard the news about my daughter I didn’t know how I could walk through that again! I was overwhelmed… but I knew instantly that her middle name would be Grace, because I was desperately in need of God’s grace to do this again. My husband on the drive home said … “we’re going to pray that God heals her!”

And we did… family and friends prayed… our church prayed.

I knew God was more than capable of healing her. I’ve grown up going to church every Sunday… I’d been on mission trips and seen miracles… I’ve read through the bible numerous times and know of all the miracles Jesus did… BUT it was hard for me to believe He was going to do it for me. For me it was easier to just plan for the worst and let a small part of me believe in the best.

Then… one Sunday in church… a few weeks before she was born we were singing “How Great is Our God” by Chris Tomlin and I heard Him speak to my spirit that He was going to heal her so that people would know how great He is!

In the days that followed my faith fluctuated… did I really hear Him? Maybe I just had that famous pregnancy heartburn? Pregnancy hormones?

On the morning of July 19th I had a stress test at the hospital (I was going between 3-5 times a week because of low amniotic fluids). The nurse didn’t like the way she was responding to contractions, so I was staying and going to have her that day. She was breech so I had to have a C-section. When the Dr. pulled her out I heard the miraculous words I was hoping to hear… “well look at that…

her feet are perfect!”

So each year on her birthday I will recall God’s miraculous hand that healed our daughter’s feet.

I don’t know what you are going through right now, but I know that in our lives right now there are areas that seem IMPOSSIBLE. When I look at them with my eyes, I don’t see any way that they could work out… but I know that with God all things are possible. I know that sickness, financial issues, relationships, disobedient children… you name it…

it’s not too big or too hard for GOD.

God graciously healed my daughter, but even if He hadn’t… His grace would have carried us through. just as He did with our son.

Earlier this week I was painting our master bathroom cabinets and the song “How Great is Our God” by Chris Tomlin came on. All the emotions and memories came flooding back as they do every time I hear that song.

I’ve included the video if you’d like to have a listen. I pray that it ministers to you and that as you listen you too are reminded of How Great Our God Is!

I was sitting in a parking lot waiting for my pregnant daughter and her two year old to join me for lunch when I decided to take a minute and read your blog. You made me cry today. We are so blessed and I am thankful for my healthy children and grandchildren. Thank God for all He has done for us and for your family.

Oh sweet Maryann… thanks for the mascara mess on this one. Seriously though and a few tears aside… what an incredible story and God has definitely blessed you and wants you to continue to share his miracle. May your family continue to be blessed and happy birthday to this sweet girl. Hugs, Holly @ coconutheadsurvivalguide

Thank you so much for sharing…we too had a miracle with our baby. The ultrasound tech said she could be Down Syndrome….but we trusted God to heal her. And she was born perfectly healthy! God is still working miracles in our day.

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